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Americans dislike Obamacare

Published: Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 11:41 p.m.

As a practicing physician, health care issues are on my mind every day of the week. However, I know that my patients only think about health care issues at two times: when they are paying for it and when they are trying to get it. Everyone pays for and receives health care sporadically. Consequently polls will underestimate American attitudes toward health care.

I can tell you from experience that patients don’t like it when they feel like they are paying more for medical care and getting less. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Americans now disapprove of Obamacare more than ever — as the Kaiser Foundation’s monthly health care poll revealed last Friday. With rising premiums and restricted physician panels, Obamacare will only become more unpopular. Americans have only just started seeing the increased cost, but have not yet witnessed the decreased access to health care that is on the horizon.

So far, the Affordable Care Act has done little but increase health care costs for Louisiana — with the possibility of premiums rising as much as 24 percent next year.

Obamacare has also added over 11,000 pages of new regulation — placing barrier after barrier in between patients and doctors like me.

When we became doctors, we swore an oath to put the needs of our patients first, and Washington’s health care “reforms” are making it harder and harder for doctors to fulfill this oath. Doctors go into the field of medicine to help people thrive, and it’s time for Washington to stop tying our hands.

<p>As a practicing physician, health care issues are on my mind every day of the week. However, I know that my patients only think about health care issues at two times: when they are paying for it and when they are trying to get it. Everyone pays for and receives health care sporadically. Consequently polls will underestimate American attitudes toward health care. </p><p>I can tell you from experience that patients don't like it when they feel like they are paying more for medical care and getting less. With that in mind, it's no surprise that Americans now disapprove of Obamacare more than ever — as the Kaiser Foundation's monthly health care poll revealed last Friday. With rising premiums and restricted physician panels, Obamacare will only become more unpopular. Americans have only just started seeing the increased cost, but have not yet witnessed the decreased access to health care that is on the horizon.</p><p>So far, the Affordable Care Act has done little but increase health care costs for Louisiana — with the possibility of premiums rising as much as 24 percent next year.</p><p>Obamacare has also added over 11,000 pages of new regulation — placing barrier after barrier in between patients and doctors like me. </p><p>When we became doctors, we swore an oath to put the needs of our patients first, and Washington's health care “reforms” are making it harder and harder for doctors to fulfill this oath. Doctors go into the field of medicine to help people thrive, and it's time for Washington to stop tying our hands.</p><p>Dr. Gerard Gianoli</p><p>Covington</p>